White Lake Half - Triathlon1/2 Ironman


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Elizabethtown, North Carolina
United States
Set Up Events
hotF / 0C
Sunny
Total Time = 4h 59m 17s
Overall Rank = 37/473
Age Group =
Age Group Rank = 7/57
Pre-race routine:

Stuck to my usual pre race. Early rise, peanut butter bagel, banana, coffee, some hydration. Crank some Tool drink a blenheim hot ginger ale.

Event warmup:

Phillip, Ben and I got to race site around 530 so we had plenty of time to prepare. Did some light stretching, got a short run in at around 7 pace to elevate heartrate.
Swim
  • 37m 14s
  • 2112 yards
  • 01m 46s / 100 yards
Comments:

This beautiful lake must be the only reason that folks like this race. My goal was 35 min. Due to foggy goggles, swimming into the sun, not looking at a map of the course pre race, and not putting laps in the pool, I missed my goal. Only 2:14 but when you are trying to break 5 hrs and your plan in your head only gives you 2:30 seconds of leadway, the 2:14 may as well be an hour
What would you do differently?:

I need a coach for my A race. I need some structure in my life
Transition 1
  • 01m 47s
Comments:

I figured 5 mins for T1, T2 and mistakes into my sub 5 goal. T1 was ok.
What would you do differently?:

I always say Im going to practice transitions but I never do. I have a pretty good set up though
Bike
  • 2h 31m 47s
  • 56 miles
  • 22.14 mile/hr
Comments:

First 25 miles, steady rollin. I remembered from doing it the year before how after mile 25 it got effin brutal. For this reason, I backed off my pace and just tried to maintain 23 mph using less energy so I would have more for the hard road. This paid off because when I got to the hard road (you all know where Im talking about) I was able to maintain around 20avg. My goal time for the bike was 2:35:00 so coming in at over 3 min ahead of schedule lifted my spirits a bit. Even so, when I got off of the bike, my hammies cramped up immediately. For this I lost 2 oa spots in the bike when two people walked in front of me. I was able to walk it off in T2, My nutrition and hydration plan was the same as OBX 1/2 and I feel like I hit it spot on again.

What would you do differently?:

Have my new bike Melody fit properly. Ive only ridden her in bike shorts other than Cary Du and she destroyed my package on this day
Transition 2
  • 01m 35s
Comments:

T2 I was worried about the hammies but stayed focused on what had to be done. Was good to have the Jet (Kenbert) yelling instructions for the run to me from outside the transition. Reminded me of the trainers in UFC yelling in the cage to the fighters. I took mental notes of his instructions, grabbed my race belt and was off.
What would you do differently?:

I dont want to cramp coming off the bike. Time was good within reason of my overall goal
Run
  • 1h 46m 56s
  • 13.1 miles
  • 08m 10s  min/mile
Comments:

Man, brutal. Mile 1 i was actually holding a better pace than what Im used to on mile 1. I started feeling some tightness in the muscles over your knees and so I backed off to around a 745 pace. I had my plan to alternate water/salt and heed on each mile. I was able to hang sub 8 for the first 4 miles before I started slipping. I had a regular chrono timer watch on my left arm counting up towards 5 hrs and my garmin on the right so I could tell where I was pacing. Needless to say by my finish time, breaking 5 hrs was literally a sprint to finish. By the 6.5 turnaround I was dying running straight uphill in the desert (i thought) i started thinking about the guys that I passed who were on there way back and I would say "great job bro" and they would ignore me. I understand why now. I tried to at least lift a hand to encouraging people even though I was hurting. I was able to stick to my plan and push forward to each aid station for a new cold towel. I got through miles 7-10 by alternating singing Tool "pushit" and Snoop Dogg "lay low" in my head. At mile 10 I tried to make sense of numbers whether I was going to break 5hrs and I couldnt. At mile 11 I tried to make sense of the numbers again, of course it was too close to call. This is where I get a new triathlon experience. I suddenly had to pee but knew I would lose time in the porta jon. I had a half cup of water so yea I did it. The Rocket pissed himself and flushed with a half cup of ice water. It was great. I rounded the turn and with 1.1 I knew it was going to be a sprint to break 5. I gave everything I had left and felt like I lived by the words if you dont fall across the finish line then you didnt race hard enough. My son Jacob raced me across the finish line and won.
What would you do differently?:

I just got to train better. Adjusted my run goal from 1:40:00 to 1:45:00 a week before the race because I knew it would be hot, considering all things my time wasnt too bad.
Post race
Warm down:

Lay in the lake the lovely lake and drink and eat

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Undertrained, heat

Event comments:

All of the volunteers were great. I tried to thank as many as possible, I think most of the racers do, I hope that volunteers understand that at certain points in a race that pain and rudeness can be misinterpreted. Thanks to all involved.




Last updated: 2012-03-12 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:37:14 | 2112 yards | 01m 46s / 100yards
Age Group: 12/57
Overall: 151/473
Performance: Below average
Suit: xterra vortex 3 sleeveless
Course: rectangular course in beautiful White Lake
Start type: Wade Plus: Waves
Water temp: 78F / 26C Current: Low
200M Perf. Average Remainder: Below average
Breathing: Good Drafting: Good
Waves: Average Navigation: Bad
Rounding: Average
T1
Time: 01:47
Performance: Good
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
Yes
Wetsuit stuck? No Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: Yes
Getting up to speed: Good
Biking
02:31:47 | 56 miles | 22.14 mile/hr
Age Group: 5/57
Overall: 35/473
Performance: Good
Wind: Some
Course: Big oval flat course
Road: Rough Dry Cadence:
Turns: Good Cornering: Good
Gear changes: Good Hills:
Race pace: Comfortable Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 01:35
Overall: Good
Riding w/ feet on shoes Good
Jumping off bike Good
Running with bike Bad
Racking bike Good
Shoe and helmet removal Good
Running
01:46:56 | 13.1 miles | 08m 10s  min/mile
Age Group: 7/57
Overall: 41/473
Performance: Average
Course: Out and back around white lake on the hot pavement with no good scenery or breeze I think someone correctly labeled it sufferfest
Keeping cool Below average Drinking Not enough
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 5
Physical exertion [1-5] 5
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Good
Race evaluation [1-5] 4